1968 firebird 461ci stroker project

[Gil]

LED taillights looks good !
Gil

[lucky13firebird]

Swapped out the 1157 bulbs in the back with some super bright red led taillight bulbs. It was only 14 bucks shipped from hong kong and in a pinch if one burns out i can always get the normal 1157 bulbs at a parts store. Had my wife do a quick video while i was away for work...

[lucky13firebird]

Well, the led taillights turned out to be garbage, so i switched back to regular long life 1157 bulbs. Kept the small led lights in the marker though, those turned out ok.

Upgraded from my 750 cfm edelbrock carb to an 800 cfm edelbrock that had its choke assembly removed, then i spent a week jetting and setting everything up just right. Hoping for a better time with it. Snagged a handful of used nascar -8an fuel lines and redid my entire engine bay fuel setup in nascar pro gold -8an (1/2" ID is what it is...) and it came out awsome. Also swapped in a russel -8an fuel filter and got nomex sheilded -10an fuel line going all the way back to my sending unit which is still 5/16" for now. I need a new tank soon since i punched a hole in this one so i'll be going to a complete package with a 3/8" sending unit and new tank and straps.

Loving the new carb, the day i swapped it i had problems untill i dailed it in perfectly, now it pulls harder than ever... we'll see what it does at the track, thats the only way to tell ;-) timeslips dont lie.

[lucky13firebird]

Just installed 2 alternators in a row again, damn oreilys is having a batch of bad bearings in their rebuilt alternators, they charge great, just sound like they're gonna come apart any second the moment you fire up the engine. Lifetime warranty so hopefully in a few months I'll be able to snag one up that has decent bearings in it without spending anything... here's a video describing the braided fuel line setup i have going on. I love it, the fittings were a little spendy but it feels good, the carb is pretty happy with it.

[lucky13firebird]

got a cool photo from the track photo guy while doing a 3rd gear burnout. Made a part throttle pass over 105 in the traps, so the new carb definately makes more power, just gotta sort the issues, trying to go to charlotte the coming weekend for the goodguys show, never been, but the wife has, she says they're awsome. Hopefully will sort the carb issues out by the time i go and will get some autocross runs in.... FINALY seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

[Gil]

Sweet !
Nice picture...
Saw you bypassed your heater, I'll have to do it too
Waiting the rad. hoses I ordered to do it the same time.
autocross would be cool, make vids if you have a chance.
Regards
Gil

[lucky13firebird]

i did bypass the heater. I DO NOT recommend it. the heater offers resistance to the flow and helps cool the motor. without it, all the water just wants to flow in the heater hose because its easier than being pushed through the radiator... I took out the thermostat to help balance the system. reason for bypass was to drive the car while not having to replace the cracked heater core... I've got a new one and one of the videos soon is gonna be of the install how-to...

also notice the nice hot heater hose sitting on my russel fuel filter... you can bet your butt that thats a big part of my fuel supply/vaporlock problems... ;-)

[Gil]

Well, OK... I'll have a lot of work this winter...
Seems a real pain to change the heater
I'll need your video soon, lol...
Gil

[lucky13firebird]

Nope, piece of cake... nothing has to come apart fender wise... if the blower motor is still good anyway. Ive done it once, theres six or so sheetmetal nuts on the firewall and the the whole heater box can be pulled off on the inside... if the cables are in the way undo them, and make sure to mark them. Theres three of them and an electrical connection, the box comes off under the dash and you replace the heater core, make sure not to bust the new one like i did (my motor sits back more than stock btw, thats what broke it) and connect the hoses and push the cover back on... connect the three control cables and the electrical plug and tighten up the six sheet metal nuts in the engine bay.... and enjoy your heat...

[Gil]

Yep I have searched more & seems not so bad I thought first...
Will order a 37 bucks heater core & start to work this week end, waiting the rad. hoses too.
Thanks for the tip, I'll remove the 6 nuts & shake that thing...
Have a nice day
Gil

[Nicks67GTO]

FWIW I have my heater core blocked off on my 455 until I get vintage air installed. With an aluminum radiator, 160* t-stat and properly clearanced cast impeller water pump, I stay at 180* in 95* Iowa heat and humidity. The only issue iv'e had is that the rubber cap I used to block off at the water pump, split on me last summer and sprayed antifreeze all over....

[lucky13firebird]

The key to making the setup work that nick had was to use blockoff caps... i couldnt find anything durable and just closed the loop with the heater hose... hense the thermostat being yanked.

[lucky13firebird]

Absolutely loved the goodguys show. I am soooo going to every one i can reach now... theyre all over till next april for this area due to the winter. Failed miserably at my first autocross but had a lot of fun and learned even more... also got to do two laps around the nascar oval track at charlotte and the kids loved it. Such a good time.

[Gil]

So cool ! Nice vid.
So funny the kids... Go go go !!!
Gil

[Tucks69]

Cool build, just read the whole thing! I saw you at Charlotte, you were doing fine in the auto cross. Maybe I will see you in Raleigh in April. Geoff Potter is having an auto cross down in GA December 6th.

[Nicks67GTO]

Nice! that run around the track looked fun!

[lucky13firebird]

yeah, was a blast. thanks man. Just smashed my windshield recently and snagged a new one in charlotte. I'll try and make it to as many events as i can, its too much fun to miss them.

[lucky13firebird]

a couple weeks ago i got to race another 68 firebird, he has a 6 speed auto and a 474ci pontiac with fuel injection and aluminum heads. much faster than mine but was a great time

[captainofiron]

a couple weeks ago i got to race another 68 firebird, he has a 6 speed auto and a 474ci pontiac with fuel injection and aluminum heads. much faster than mine but was a great time

that other bird is a BEAST

[lucky13firebird]

So the 2 series posi i built for the 67 tempest got used in this build as i prepared to travel thousands of miles for the holidays this winter. I put it all together with the 2.56 ratio gears and now my top speed is 165+ if it doesn't shake itself apart around 140. I can literaly do 0-60 never leaving first gear and my second gear is good to 100... basically what my final gear would've been had i put in 4.10 gears in the rear diff... now i REALY need some nitrous and a wide ratio 4 speed... that would make it absolutely nuts.